External louver construction for windows



Feb. 28, 1967 A. SHAPIRO EXTERNAL LOUVER CONSTRUCTION FOR WINDOWS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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United States Patent 3,305,970 EXTERNAL LOUVER CONSTRUCTION FOR WINDOWS Arthur Shapiro, Altadena, Calif., assignor to'Diversified Manufacturing, Incorporated, Santa Ana, Califi, a corporation of California Continuation of application Ser. No. 136,103, Sept. 5, 1961. This application July 23, 1964, Ser. No. 384,736

1 Claim. (Cl. 49-75) This invention relates to exterior louver constructions for windows and is a continuation of my copending application, Serial No. 136,103, filed September 5, 1961, for External Louver Construction for Windows, now abancloned.

Included in the objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an external louver construction which is arranged to utilize vertically disposed louvers and incorporates novel bracket and support means which permit pivotal movement of the louvers about a vertical axis.

Second, to provide an external louver construction which is particularly easy to install with simple tools even by inexperienced persons and is so arranged that it may be supplied in kit form for installation by the purchaser.

Third, to provide an external louver construction for windows which is so arranged that it may be pivoted as a unit clear of the window in order that the window may be cleaned.

Fourth, to provide a novel mounting structure for external louvers which comprises a channel shaped beam having inturned flanges and a folded sheet metal bracket extension, one end of which is adapted for insertion into the beam and is adjustable longitudinally of the beam, the bracket extension incorporating integral clamp means whereby the bracket extension and beam may be rigidly secured together.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the louver construction shown in an opened position.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary end view thereof taken from 22 of FIGURE 1, and indicating by broken lines the window and adjacent portions of the wall in front of which the louver construction is mounted.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary partial plan, partial sectional view of the louver construction taken through 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a developed view of a bracket extension.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of a bracket extension and louver-supporting beam taken through 5-5 of FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken through 66 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken through 77 of FIGURE 3 showing the manner in which a louver is pivoted with respect to the cross beam.

The louver construction utilizes a set of brackets 1 formed of a sheet metal; each bracket includes a top wall 2, a vertical back wall 3 and side flanges 4 joining the top wall and back wall. The brackets are adapted to be secured by screws to the exterior of the building A, one pair being disposed above and one pair below a window opening B therein.

A sheet metal extension member 5 projects horizontally outward from each bracket. Each extension member includes a top wall 6 joined to two side walls 7 which in turn are joined to bottom portions 8. The side walls are adapted to be folded downwardly with respect to the top wall and the bottom portions are folded under the top wall with the edges in contiguous relation to form a 3,305,970 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 member of rectangular cross section. The bottom portions have perforated projections 9 which overlap to receive a clamping bolt 10 which extends downwardly through an aperture 11 provided in the top wall 6.

The top wall is provided with longitudinal slits on opposite sides of the aperture 11 and the portion therebetween extends forwardly of the top wall to form an upper clamping lip 12. Each bottom portion is similarly slit anda portion thereof extends forwardly to form a a lower clamping lip 13. Each side wall 7 is provided with a forwardly extending tongue 14, the upper and lower edges of which are curved to form wedge portions. Notches 15 are provided at the root ends of the tongues 14. Portions of the bottom portions 8 are turned upwardly to form spacers 8a.

The extension members connected with each pair of brackets 1 support a louver-mounting beam 16 formed of sheet metal. Each louver-mounting beam is channel shaped and includes a web portion 17 and parallel side flanges 18 directed toward the extension members. These side flanges terminate in inturned ends 19. The cam shaped edges of the tongues 14 are adapted to be forced between the inturned ends 19. The inturned ends snap into the notches 15. The upper clamping lip 12' and lower clamping lips 13 of each extension member extend above and below, respectively, of the side flanges 18 so that when the clamping bolts 10 of each extension member are tightened, the extension member and the mounting beam are rigidly connected together.

The top walls of the extension members 5 overlie the top walls of the brackets 1 and the side walls 7 of the extension members fit over the side flanges 4 of the brackets. The lower pair of extension members are preferably joined to the corresponding brackets by a pair of bolts 20 whereas a single bolt joins each upper extension member to its bracket. the top walls of the extension members rest on the top walls of the brackets, the bolts 20 secure the extension members in horizontal positions.

The confronting side flanges of the mounting beams 16 are provided with perforated journal bosses 21, between each vertically aligned pair of which is mounted a louver 22. Each louver includes end flanges 23 having perforations which receive pivot pins 24 adapted to extend through the perforations in the journal bosses 21. The vertical sides of each louver are folded to form side flanges 25. The side flanges are folded in opposite directions at right angles to the main body of the louver so that the louver is essentially Z-shaped in cross section. The extremity of each side flange is inturned to form a reinforcing margin 26. The pivot pins 24 define vertical axes located midway between the side flanges 25 of the louvers. One extremity of the lower end flange of each louver is perforated to receive a pivot pin 27. The pivot pins of the series of louvers are joined to a common connecting bar 28. Secured in the lower mounting beam 16 is a drive unit 29 including a worm gear 30 and worm 31. A lever arm 32a extends from the worm gear and is pivotally connected to the connecting bar 28. The worm 31 is provided with a square socket which slidably receives the square end of an operating shaft 32. The operating shaft extends through a journal sleeve 33 mounted in the side of the building below the window sill C. The inner end of the operating shaft within the building is provided with a crank handle 34. Escutcheon flanges 35 fit over the outer and inner ends of the journal sleeve 33.

The pivot pins 24 and 27 may be in the nature of split rivets which may be forced into place by hand and are formed of plastic material, such as nylon. Inasmuch as the only other fastening means are the bolts 10 and 20 and screws which secure the brackets 1 to the side of the By reason of the fact that building, it can readily be seen that the components of the louver construction may be readily supplied in kit form. By reason of the fact that the brackets are mounted above and below the window opening, a given height of louver may accommodate a range of windows with respect to their vertical heights. Also the mounting beams may extend laterally beyond the window opening and thereby accommodate a range of window widths. As a consequence, the components of the louver construction may be carried in stock sizes and assembled to meet the requirements of the purchaser.

By removing the bolts joining the lower pair of extension members to their brackets, the louver assembly may be pivoted upwardly and outwardly as indicated by dotted lines in FIGURE 2 to provide access to the window.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth or to the details illustrated in the drawings, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

An exterior louver construction for windows comprismg:

(a) an upper and lower set of mounting brackets disposed respectively above and below said window;

(b) an upper beam carried by said upper set of brackets and a lower beam carried by said lower set of brackets;

(c) said beams being substantially parallel and each being of channel shaped cross section with their web portion being outermost and having resilient side flanges extending toward said brackets;

((1) each side flange having an inturned edge portion;

(e) each bracket having an extension projecting into the channel of its associated beam and each extension having a head within said beam and a reduced neck portion between said inturned edge portions;

(f) relatively movable clamp means on each bracket engaging the outer faces of said side flanges and releasable means holding said clamp means and thereby said inturned edge portions against outward movement away from each other;

(g) vertical substantially rigid louvers extending between said beams and being pivotally secured thereto on parallel vertical axes;

(h) and means for simultaneously pivoting said louvers about said axes;

(i) each of said upper mounting brackets comprising an outer portion carrying said extension and an inner portion, said portions being pivotally joined about a horizontal axis parallel to said upper beam;

(j) each of said lower brackets comprising an outer portion carrying said extension and an inner portion, said portions being releasably secured together whereby they may be released and said outer portions of said lower brackets, said upper and lower beams, said louvers and said outer portions of said upper brackets swung outwardly from said window, about said horizontal axis, as a unit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1936 Keil 247225 X 10/1950 Bopp et a1. 166 

